Akpabio elected senate president, Barau becomes deputy

Godswill Akpabio, senator representing Akwa Ibom north-west, has been elected as the senate president.

He defeated Abdulaziz Yari, senator representing Zamfara central, to win the election on Tuesday.

Akpabio polled 63 votes, while Yari scored 46 votes.

Senator Barau Jibrin from Kano state has been declared deputy senate president.

Akpabio, a former minister of Niger Delta affairs, was the preferred candidate of the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the contest.

The clerk of the national assembly is now administering the oath of office on Akpabio.

The clerk has also handed over the gavel and a copy of the senate standing rules to Akpabio.

Akpabio has just exercised his authority for the first time by hitting the gavel and is now swearing in senators-elect. Afterwards, the 10th senate can commence the business of legislation.

Akpabio, 60, served as governor of Akwa Ibom from 2007 to 2015 and senate minority leader from 2015 to 2018.

He was appointed minister of Niger Delta affairs by former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019 and resigned in June 2022 to contest the presidential primaries of the APC.

He stepped down on the night of the primary election, alongside others, for the eventual winner of the general election President Bola Tinubu.

He was re-elected senator in 2023 and commenced moves to become senate president.